Attempting to face my distaste for Hemingway. I'll admit it: I liked this more than I expected, though I am by no means a blossoming Hemingway-head. His style doesn't do much for me, but the characters had a depth that I appreciated. Also: There's enough drinking in this book to give me a hangover just from reading it.
Historians will say Jake Barnes and Bill Gorton were ~very good friends~
Perhaps my reading of this book was a bit too informed by what we are starting to learn more of re: Hemingway's own sexuality/gender conundrums, but also, like, c'mon, I am shocked that "Jake Barnes is gay" is not a more mainstream reading of this book. Jake's "impotence" echoes ancient catholic theologians' use of "eunuchs" to describe gay men. They're not castrated—they just aint havin any kids. Bill and Jake even seem sort of jealous of openly gay people, and Bill even brings it up in the scene where the—ahem, subtext—is strongest.